Guy Picciotto in Conversation with Howard Bilerman

Quartiers Pop, Montreal, QC, September 19

Pop Montreal definitely threw a bone at a crowd that consisted of about 80 Dischord Records aficionados by having Howard Bilerman interrogate Guy Picciotto on a plethora of topics that ran from Fugazi's John Loder-engineered recordings to the consequences of telling members of the audience what they can and cannot do. The Washington, DC-born musician was consistently spot-on with intelligent reflections and compelling stories.

Dishing out what seemed to be Fugazi's bread and mock meat during the time they bootcamped themselves on the road and learned ''to be a band,'' as they canvassed the world one highway at a time, Picciotto scooped a large chunk of his life and was able to sieve the crispiest bits for everybody's ears to taste. Not only did he keep Bilerman stroking his whiskers, but the now greying Picciotto had the room in the palm of his hand as he told stories about the Cramps, Mayor Marion Barry and being held at gunpoint by a Hawaiian-shirted, cigar-smoking mobster after a gig in an organized crime room.